Darlington’s railway heritage is of world-wide significance yet is only modestly recognisable to the community and visitors. The design study uses this rich heritage of engineering and innovation as a means to promote economic growth, proposing a dynamic attraction underpinned by unique skills and depth of knowledge.
The Heritage Quarter is made up of a number of components including the Head of Steam Museum, the Carriage Works, the Goods Shed and Skerne Bridge. These attractions are extended and re-modelled to improve their condition, accessibility and viability as permanent and temporary exhibition and events spaces. A new build element retains a live engineering works on site which becomes part of the visitor attraction. The buildings are linked by enhanced landscaping, covered walkways, information points, adventure play areas and flexible outdoor events spaces.
The historic significance of the site and the immediate surroundings underpin the design concept for the site. Disused rail carriages and tracks are features throughout, re-purposed as interactive exhibition features of the past and present drawing on collective memory to create a unique connection and sense of place. As an active learning and play experience the public realm spaces create opportunities for visitors to explore exhibitions to understand how this knowledge can be adapted for future innovation.
